http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Stephen Williams MP en-GB Stephen Williams MP http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2010 Stephen Williams MP 2010-03-12T13:36+00:00 United Kingdom http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000503/stephen_williams_supports_wwf_earth_hour_2010.html On Wednesday 10th March Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West, met with representatives from the Worldwide Fund for Nature to pledge his support for 2010 Earth Hour, which will take place on Saturday 27th March. Stephen is a strong supporter of this campaign, having taken part in WWF Earth Hour in previous years as well. 2010-03-11T17:25+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000501/stephen_williams_speaks_in_times_higher_education_debate.html On Wednesday 24th February Stephen Williams, in his capacity as Liberal Democrat spokesman for Innovation, Universities & Skills, spoke about the Party's policies for higher education at the Times Higher Education pre-election debate. 2010-02-25T17:29+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000500/stephen_williams_speaks_in_a_forum_event_about_young_people_in_the_recession.html On Wednesday 24th February Stephen Williams MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Innovation, Universities & Skills, met with young people from Bristol who have been affected by the recession to listen to their experiences and speak about how the Liberal Democrats would tackle the issue of NEETs (people not in education, employment or training). 2010-02-25T10:34+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000502/mp_eats_fairtrade_curry.html In order to mark Fairtrade fortnight 2010, Bristol West Mp Stephen Wiliams joined local campaigners at Bordeaux Quay to sample some Fairtrade food.. A vegetable curry had been specially produced by Isabel Antonio, a visitor from Mozambique. Bristol has a twinning link with Beira, where Isabel is a nut producer. She is part of the Ikuru Nut cooperative, a Fairtade organisation. Isabel made her curry with fairtrade ingredients supplied by Bristol based Bart Spices. 2010-02-21T13:21+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000497/stephen_williams_pushes_for_greater_provisions_to_enable_armed_forces_personnel_to_vote.html Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West, and 27 other Liberal Democrat MPs, have recently supported Early Day Motion 862 regarding Armed Forces Voting, asserting that greater provisions to enable service personnel to vote should be introduced. 2010-02-18T16:14+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000498/mp_wishes_chinese_community_a_happy_new_year.html Bristol West Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Williams has wished all of the Chinese community a Happy New Year of the Tiger. He attended a traditional dragon dance and lunch with local community leaders and elders at the Chinese Community Associations on Lower Ashley Road. 2010-02-15T21:19+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000496/williams_supports_city_of_bristol_college_to_reverse_funding_cut_proposal.html Bristol West Liberal Democrat MP, Stephen Williams, councillors and community organisations have pledged to support City of Bristol College in its attempt to reverse proposed funding cuts that could affect thousands of adults who want to retrain. Stephen joined Council members, representatives from 14 community organisations and College leaders on Friday to discuss a potential £3 million cut to the College's adult funding allocation. 2010-02-15T13:15+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000499/work_gets_underway_on_new_gloucester_road_surgery_and_library.html Work is now underway to convert the former Bristol North swimming baths on Gloucester Road to a doctors' surgery. The site was visited by Bristol West MP Stephen Williams and Redland Councillors, Fi Hance and Sylvia Townsend. They were shown around the interior of the old baths by a representative of Chatsworth Homes Ltd. The Baths are to be converted to a new doctors' surgery which will also have additional healthcare facilities including a pharmacy. Part of the old pool will be retained as a hydro-therapy pool. The adjacent car park will have a new library built over it along with a small number of flats. The car park will then re-open. When the development is completed the Logan Road surgery will transfer to its new home and the Cheltenham Road library will also move. 2010-02-15T10:30+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000495/stephen_williams_cosponsors_early_day_motion_765_on_wwfs_earth_hour_2010_campaign.html On 1 February 2010 Early Day Motion (EDM) 765 was tabled with the help of co-sponsorship from Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West. 2010-02-12T16:08+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000490/mp_supports_electoral_reform.html The House of Commons has voted to give people a say on the voting system for electing MPs. The Commons decided by a large majority to have a national referendum on changing from the current 'First Past The Post' system for electing MPs, to the 'Alternative Vote' system. Most Labour and all Liberal Democrat MPs voted for reform, with the Conservatives opposing any change. 2010-02-10T18:00+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000489/stephen_williams_mp_pledges_to_support_the_british_armed_forces.html On Tuesday 2 February, Stephen Williams MP met with a delegation from The Royal British Legion at Westminster to get behind the charity's call to support the whole Armed Forces family. He also discussed the Legion's manifesto and the changes that it is calling for. 2010-02-05T16:28+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000488/stephen_williams_mp_calls_for_a_review_of_rail_fares.html On Tuesday 2 February, Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West, stood up for train passengers by recognising their number one concern: high fares. 2010-02-05T16:10+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000494/mp_attends_young_apprentice_event.html To mark National Apprentice Week, local MP Stephen Williams met a large group of young apprentices and college students to talk about the importance of skills. Mr Williams who is also the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary if State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, told the youngsters that if Britain was to prosper beyond the recession it would need a highly skilled workforce. He particularly encouraged them to look at training to be an engineer in order to help build the low carbon economy that Britain will need in order to tackle climate change. 2010-02-04T15:23+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000487/stephen_williams_mp_commits_to_beat_cancer.html Stephen Williams MP has backed efforts to beat cancer at a major Cancer Research UK event in Parliament. 2010-02-04T10:13+00:00 http://stephenwilliams.org.uk/news/000493/home_educators_meet_mp.html A large group of Bristol parents who educate their children at home met with local MP Stephen Williams to discuss a new law currently before Parliament. The parents are concerned about the provisions of the Children, Schools and Families Bill that will compel parents to register with the local authority is they choose to educate their children at home rather than at school. Home educators from around England have been lobbying MP's for some time about the Badman report which recommended registration and also inspection of the environment in which children are being taught at home. Stephen Williams presented a petition to the House of Commons about the issue in December. The Liberal Democrats have voted against the Bill. 2010-01-29T17:30+00:00